Speeder.



No. 637,047. Patented Nov. I4, I899. w. v. THRELFALL.

SPEEDEB.

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No. 637,047. Patented Nov. 14, I899.

- W. V. THRELFALL. I

S P E E. D E R (Application filed Oct. 26, 189B.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM V. THRELFALL, OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE SACO do PETTEE MAOHINE SHOPS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,04=7, dated November 14, 1899. Application filed October 26, 1898- Serial No. 694,642. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM V. THREL- FALL, of Biddeford, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speeders, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains or with which it is'most nearly connected to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to that class of .textile machines commonly called speeders or roving-frames, by which the sliver is reduced to an even round structure of such proportions that it can be readily twisted into yarn of the requisite diameter or number, at the same time introducing a small amount of twist to enable it to be wound upon the bobbin and bringing it to a state of roving, thus fitting it to be subsequently transformed into yarn by the spinning process.

The present im provements have special reference to what, for the purposes of this specification and by many skilled in the art, is called the horsehead of the speeder.

The horsehead comprises means for operating the bobbin-operating means from the main shaft, it being understood that the bobbin-pinions are carriedon the spindles and that the gears which mesh with and'operate the bobbin-pinions are carried by a rotary shaft which extends parallel with the bobbinrail and is rotated and traversed up and down coordinately with the bobbin shaft. The spindles are driven by connectinggearing from a shaft journaled in fixed bearings at the bottoms of the spindles.

By reason of variation in the resistance offered in the rotation of the bobbins from the horsehead, due to the gravity of the bobbinrail and itsadjuncts in raising and lowering it and due also to the varying resistance to the operation of the vertical shaft in the horsehead, difficulty has been experienced in securing the winding on of the roving on the bobbin with unvarying tension. which is necessary to perfection of the work performed. It has been proposed to overcome this aimculty by providing an inclined shaft extending between the main shaft and the upper end of the vertical shaft in the horsehead, bevel-gears secured on the shafts furnishing the operative connecting means therebetween. This construction, inter alt'tt, ofiered the objections of difficulty in keeping the bearings of the inclined shaft properly lubricated, as Well as breaking the teeth of the bevel-gears after appreciable wear upon the same or the bearings of the shaft. Besides this it was difficult to keep the inclined shaft in proper alinement, and also to keep it in proper relationship with the bevel-gears because of its thrust longitudinally, due to its peculiar position. Again, by this construction it was necessary to provide the vertical shaft with a lateral bearing at its upper end as well as at its foot and at an intermediate point. This made it hard to drive the said shaft, since it was quite liable to become bound in its bearings, and its operation, from the cause stated, was appreciably unsteady.

By my improvements I remedy all of the mischiefs mentioned, the said improvements consisting of a train of spur-gearing connecting the driving-shaft with a counter-shaft at the bottom of the vertical shaft and operatively connecting the counter-shaft with the vertical shaft through the medium of bevel or'miter gears, so that the resistance to the operation of the vertical shaft may be regular, or, in other words, so that there may be no irregular resistance offered to the operation of the vertical shaft. I furthermore provide improvements whereby the vertical shaft in the horsehead may not become bound in its bearings, but may run easily and readily find its true center of rotation, and whereby it may be kept freely lubricated, so as to avoid friction.

Reference is to be had to the annexed draw ings, and to the letters marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, the same letters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view, partially in vertical section, of the horsehead of a speeder and a part of the general frame itself, showing the improvements wrought by me. Fig. 2 is a vertical and sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewof the step for the vertical shaft of the horsehead and showing also the bolster-bearings and oil-cup and lower end of the vertical shaft.

In the drawings, a designates the frame of the machine.

I) is the main or driving shaft.

0 designates the vertical shaft of the horsehead.

61 is the traversing bobbin-rail of the roving-frame.

eis the spindle,andfthe flier 011 the spindle.

g is the bobbin, which is supported from and driven by the hub h of the bobbin-pinion 1;, supported and carried by the bobbin-rail d.

j is the gear-wheel on the rotary shaft 70, which extends parallel with the bobbin-rail d, the said gear-wheelj engaging the pinion i and driving the same.

Z is the pinion on the foot of the spindle c, which is engaged and driven by the gearwheel m on the horizontal shaft 71.

o designates a counter-shaft which is arranged in suitable bearings at a point adjacent to the lower end of the vertical shaft 0 and extends horizontally in the machine.

19 is a spur-gear fixed on the main shaft 1), which spur-gear engages and drives an idler q, the latter in turn engaging and driving a spur-gear 1' on the counter-shaft 0.

Fixed on one end of the counter-shaft 0 is a miter-gear s, which engages and drives a similar miter-gear t on the lower end of the vertical shaft 0 in the horsehead.

3y the means thus far described I am enabled to not only drive the vertical shaft with greater case than heretofore, but the construction is such that the resistance to the rotation of the vertical shaft is regular and un- Varying, and consequently the roving can be wound upon the bobbin with unvarying tension.

The said vertical shaft 0 is provided with a groove to, in which a feather (not shown) on the reciprocating miter-gear 12 operates, so that the said gear '2) may turn with the shaft 0, and yet be reciprocated vertically thereon in order to remain in mesh with the gear w, fixed on the shaft to operate the same. Though I have shown the gear 7) as feathered or splined on the shaft 0, in practice I generally make the shaft 0 square in form and hfiNO it fit into a squared hole in the gear 1) and its hub.

The gears '11 and w, as also a gear 00, fixed on the shaft 7a, which drives another gear 1 of similar character, so as to operate two rows of spindles, as is well known, are contained within a cover or gear-box z, and the bearing for the gear o is supported from said gear-box, as shown.

In order that the vertical shaft 0 may not become bound in its bearings, I support the said shaft in a step a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, interposing between the bottom of the spindle and the bottom of the said step-bearing rounded steel pieces I), so formed as that they maybe what I term rockable --that is, so as to allow the upper end of the vertical shaft oto move laterally to an appreciable degree and in order that it may not become bound in the bearing afforded by the sleeve of the gear 1 To make said pieces rockable, as I have shown, I prefer to make both sides rounding and beveled from center to circumference, so that the bearing of the shaft 0 in a vertical line will be upon the center of the said pieces I) when the shaft is in exactly vertical position. Furthermore, to allow the shaft to gyrate slightly, so as not to become bound in its bearings, I provide the step a with a rockable bolster c-that is, a bolster that is beveled or rounded from its circumferential center toward its ends, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To one side of the bolster-step a I provide an oil-cup d, capable of receiving a suitable lubricant and form means of communication in said oil-cup, as a hole 6, between the cup and the bolster-bearing in order that the latter may be kept freely lubricated and so that it may not be necessary to frequently oil the bolster-step, as if the ordinary means were employed for accomplishing this purpose.

The shaft 0, as before intimated, is supported in the step a and in suitable bearings connected with the gear 1:, and at its upper end it is provided with a block f, having an oil-cup g formed in its upper side or end. Above the blockf and supported by a suitable bracket or other equivalent h is a hardened block of steel or other suitable material i, against the lower flat face of which the upper end of the vertical shaft 0 bears when the gearing in the horsehead and bolsterrail is being raised, the tendency being at such times to pull upward to a greater or less degree on the shaft 0. This steel block 2" is made smooth on its lower surface, so as to prevent friction as far as possible between the upper end of the shaft and the block 2" and also to permit the upper end of the vertical shaft to have slight lateral play in all directions, and in order to cushion the bearing of the shaft 0 at its upper end against the block 1', so that said bearing may not be too rigid, I interpose between the said block 2" and the bracket h pieces of leather or other equivalent material j, as is clearly represented in Fig. 1. The oil that may be supplied to the cup will serve to lubricate the bearings of the upper end of the vertical shaft 0 against the lower surface of the block 11.

The improved results following the use of my improvements are now so apparent to those skilled in the art, in view of what has been stated at the outset of this specification, as to hardly require repetition or amplification. It may be stated, however, that by the construction and relationship of the driving means between the driving-shaft b and the vertical shaft 0, as is herein recited, the mischiefs and difficulties occasioned by variation in the rate of driving the bobbin-shaft, due to the variation in strain or power required, are substantially overcome, and, moreover,

the improved means for driving the vertical shaft herein shown and described are simple in construction, easy of arrangement and control, and are certain in their operation. Again, and as a matter of great importance, by driving the vertical shaft from the bottom it can be run with a steadier motion than when driving it from the top, and a lateral bearing for the top of the spindle is not required, so that it can be left free at this point to seek position coordinate with its true axis of rotation, thus avoiding liability of becoming bound in its bearings.

The manner of supporting and maintaining the vertical shaft 0 in position, as herein shown and described, has been ascertained in practice to not only greatly reduce the power required to drive the machine, but also to materially lessen wear and liability of breakage of gear-teeth and other similar mishaps, which occasion the loss of much time and not an inconsiderable amount of money in machines of this character as heretofore constructed.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, it is declared that what is claimed is- 1. A roving-machine comprising in its construction the driving-shaft, the vertical shaft of the horsehead, a counter-shaft at the bottom of the vertical shaft, a train of spurgearing operatively connecting the drivingshaft with the counter-shaft, and bevel-gearing connectingthe counter-shaft with the vertical shaft at the foot or lower end of the latter, a shaft to transmit motion to the bobbins and gearing connecting it with the vertical shaft whereby the vertical shaft may be driven more easily and steadily than heretofore.

2. A roving-machine comprising in its construction the driving-shaft, the vertical shaft of the horsehead, a counter-shaft at the bottom of the vertical shaft, a train of spurgearing operatively connecting the drivingshaft with the counter-shaft, and bevel-gearing connecting the countershaft with the vertical shaft at the foot or lower end of the latter, the vertical shaft being free of lateral of the horsehead, a counter-shaft at the bottom of the vertical shaft, a train of spurgearing operatively connecting the driving shaft with the counter-shaft, and bevel-gearing connecting the counter-shaft with the Vertical shaft at the foot or lower end of the latter, the vertical shaft being free of lateral support at its upper end, a hardened piece i of metal against which the upper end of the shaft bears, cushioning-piecesj against which the piece 71 rests, the said vertical shaft being provided with a bearing at its foot or lower end and at an intermediate point, the bearing at the foot of the shaft being adapted, as described, to permit of slight lateral movement of the upper end of the shaft to avoid tendency of its becoming bound in its bearings.

4. In a roving-machine, the combination, with the vertical shaft of the horsehe'ad, of the step-bearing for the said shaft, a rockable bolster in the said step-bearing, hard rockable step-pieces 19 between the foot of the shaft and the bottom of the step-bearing, and gearing connected with the lower end of the shaft for driving the same.

5. In a roving-machine, the combination, with the vertical shaft of the horsehead, of the step-bearing for the said shaft, a rockable bolster in the said step-bearing, hard rockable step-pieces between the foot of the shaft and the bottom of the shaft-bearing and an oil-cup adjacent to said bolster step-bearing having an opening between the cup and bol ster-step.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 27th day of September, A. D. 1898.

WILLIAM V. THRELFALL.

Witnesses: t

S. A. THOMPSON, E. W. SABIN. 

